# Checking box codes? Counterfeit Cigar check!



## SmokeFiend (Jan 13, 2008)

Just wondering how people are able to check the box codes to see if they are legit? My Dad recently purchased 2 boxes from Cuba (monte #3, cohiba siglo 3)The boxes look good (box code on both of them GTL SEP 07), they had all the habanos and government seals, even had the hologram and health warning but the cigars themselves seem off. The Cohiba label just doesn't seem right, the paint is coming off on some of them and they don't seem as packed as they should be, they taste great though! MY Dad said he purchased them from some rum factory, he said they had a large selection of cigars and even gave him a receipt to show to customs. I have included some pics of the boxes, I tried to get a few of the cigars themselves but they turned out like crap, not able to see any detail. I guess the worst case scenario is that I have some counterfeits that taste great and I am ok with that. Anyways any help would be appreciated.


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## BamaDoc77 (Jan 31, 2007)

Look good to me, but you better send em my way so they can be thoroughly ealuated.


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## SmokeFiend (Jan 13, 2008)

Here is a pic of the bands, its hard to see and the detail isn't too good but if you look closely you can see that one band has three dots above the cohiba label and the other only has two


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## Funnymantrip (Oct 28, 2004)

You answered your own question. If you are happy with them, and they taste great there is really no problem. 

The seals look a bit off in the green color, but I would put that up to the camera and not the seals. 

Did your father find any Cohibos at the rum store.


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## FattyCBR (Feb 22, 2007)

I think the fact that the factory codes are the same but they're two different brands indicates they're off, I don't believe Monte's and Cohibas are made at the same factory. What are the serial numbers?


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## hk3 (Jan 29, 2008)

Gotta watch out for re-packs! Take shit cigars and put them in a legit box. :tu


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## jordon (Mar 23, 2004)

they don't look good to me.


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## SmokeFiend (Jan 13, 2008)

FattyCBR said:


> I think the fact that the factory codes are the same but they're two different brands indicates they're off, I don't believe Monte's and Cohibas are made at the same factory. What are the serial numbers?


The serial numbers on the warranty seals are IO 620391 and IR 546665.


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## SteveDMatt (Feb 23, 2007)

SmokeFiend said:


> Here is a pic of the bands, its hard to see and the detail isn't too good but if you look closely you can see that one band has three dots above the cohiba label and the other only has two


That's the indicater to me that these are not legit. That being said, if they smoke like Cohibas, there really isn't a problem.


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## Funnymantrip (Oct 28, 2004)

FattyCBR said:


> I think the fact that the factory codes are the same but they're two different brands indicates they're off, I don't believe Monte's and Cohibas are made at the same factory. What are the serial numbers?


Not entirely true.. the factory codes are a bit of a mystery.. Last year I got quite a few diffrent marques that were POS. Especially with montes being the most produced I wouldn't call fugazi on that alone.


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## FattyCBR (Feb 22, 2007)

SmokeFiend said:


> The serial numbers on the warranty seals are IO 620391 and IR 546665.


Take a look at the warranty seal thread above to compare the box codes to the serial numbers. From what I've read factories are assigned blocks of warranty seals. I would think boxes from the same factory from the same month would have closer serial numbers. But this is Cuba so who knows.


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## JCK (Nov 9, 2006)

SmokeFiend said:


> Here is a pic of the bands, its hard to see and the detail isn't too good but if you look closely you can see that one band has three dots above the cohiba label and the other only has two


Did both of those Cohibas come out of the same box?

The iteration of Cohiba bands before the one's currently issued have 2 rows of dots above the Cohiba center.

Reference here.

http://www.cigaraficionado.com/Cigar/CA_Counterfeits/Counterfeit_Gallery/0,3390,,00.html


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## The Professor (Jul 20, 2006)

jordon said:


> they don't look good to me.


nor to me.

where in Cuba were the boxes purchased? from a LCDH or factory store?


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## Blueface (May 28, 2005)

First question, where in Cuba did he buy them?
Very important to know to establish next questions.
If he bought them at a legit location, he will have a white with pink large receipt that states specifically what he purchased.
If he doesn't have that receipt, well, many other questions can be raised then.

Normally, you don't see bands off like that, especially on Cohibas, but wouldn't judge it on that alone.


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## SmokeFiend (Jan 13, 2008)

Blueface said:


> First question, where in Cuba did he buy them?
> Very important to know to establish next questions.
> If he bought them at a legit location, he will have a white with pink large receipt that states specifically what he purchased.
> If he doesn't have that receipt, well, many other questions can be raised then.
> ...


My father purchased them in Havana at a shop that was located beside a rum factory/store he told me, not sure if it was a LCDH. The shop owner did provide him with a pink receipt to show to customs. The store was appearently selling lots of cigars and was full of tourists. My dads recollection of the place isn't too good - too much rum sampling..


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## lenguamor (Nov 23, 2006)

Blueface said:


> First question, where in Cuba did he buy them?
> Very important to know to establish next questions.
> If he bought them at a legit location, he will have a white with pink large receipt that states specifically what he purchased.
> If he doesn't have that receipt, well, many other questions can be raised then.
> ...


Especially not out of the same box.


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## The Professor (Jul 20, 2006)

SmokeFiend said:


> My father purchased them in Havana at a shop that was located beside a rum factory/store he told me, not sure if it was a LCDH. The shop owner did provide him with a pink receipt to show to customs. The store was appearently selling lots of cigars and was full of tourists. My dads recollection of the place isn't too good - too much rum sampling..


Danger! Danger, Will Robinson!!! :chk

Operating under the assumption that it wasn't an LCDH, there's a pretty good chance you've got some fakes on your hands. That said, they might be good fakes -- pretty good chance, for example, that they're made with Cuban tobacco. Pretty good chance, also, that (some at least) are short filler, etc. Then again, they might be real. I'm thinking (given provenance and the band issues) that at least *some* of the Cohiba/os are fake, though.... :2


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## wij (May 25, 2006)

khubli said:


> Did both of those Cohibas come out of the same box?
> 
> The iteration of Cohiba bands before the one's currently issued have 2 rows of dots above the Cohiba center.
> 
> ...


You are correct but the old style had black Cohiba lettering not gold.


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## Blueface (May 28, 2005)

SmokeFiend said:


> My father purchased them in Havana at a shop that was located beside a rum factory/store he told me, not sure if it was a LCDH. The shop owner did provide him with a pink receipt to show to customs. The store was appearently selling lots of cigars and was full of tourists. My dads recollection of the place isn't too good - too much rum sampling..


Here lies the issue.
In other countries, people fabricate the items to fake the goods.
Cuba is a bit different.
Those resources don't exist.
So.....the folks do one better.
They rob the government blind of everything.
So.....boxes, bands, ribbons, labels, receipts, etc, they all leave the factories or fall off trucks.
You then have a bunch of folks that can roll.
They are a dime a dozen in Cuba.
They roll authentic Cubans. Just not the same as sold in the government stores.
You have to go to a government store that sells just cigars to be safe for certain.
A shop selling lots of things along with cigars in Cuba is a problem.

I have heard of "reject" bands leaving the factories. Not all are printed perfect and as such, the ones that should go in the garbage don't. They are creatively put to use.

All that is not to say you don't have a good cigar on your hands.
My wife's family use to take their tobacco and roll instant cigars that would blow our minds.
What counts is the gesture.
Thank your pops, light up and enjoy.
Very tough to judge something you have and we are only seeing in photos.


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## Costa (Jan 26, 2008)

Look on the bright side my friend, at least the cigars that were gifted to you had "Cohiba" spelled right.......:tu

Me, I wasn't so lucky........:hn


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